Untied Laces
Category:
Biography
Publisher: AuthorsOnLine.co.uk
Pages: 280
Copyright: 12th May 2009
ISBN-13: 9780755204595
An Amazing Autobiography;
He confronted Usama bin Laden 2006 and
brought an African Dictator to tears 2002
This is the remarkable autobiography of a Scottish son of the manse, blinded in one eye, the consequences of a rugby accident and educated in Edinburgh. Does this sound familiar? He suffered abuse but turned that dark episode of his youth into a life of humanitarian service in Africa, Asia and Scotland. This head of department, until illness caused him to retire, found a new life as an author of eclectic books. He confronted Usama bin Laden in Pakistan and brought an African Head of State to tears. Yet tears of laughter make this one of the most heart warming autobiographies to come out of Scotland for a very long time.
Excerpt
INTRODUCTION
“It was a pity that the deceased never wrote his memoirs”. Have you not heard these sentiments at the graveside?
Well, they can’t say that at mine! On top of the Ghanaian national flag draping my coffin, there should be room for my books, possibly my clarinet - the saxophone will be playing - and most certainly my ventriloquist chimpanzee, Charlie. Two international caps will drape their tassels over the flag. There will be some Muslims in the gathering recalling my confrontation with Usama bin Laden in Pakistan; some Jews recalling their erstwhile Jewish brother in America; some Humanist children’s panel members who knew me as their Reporter in southern Scotland; perhaps a few ex-prisoners who knew me in prison; some Lancastrian Anglican relatives and a host of friends who have lost their faith but ponder my fate at this moment in time. Three knives, unsheathed, will shine in the shaft of light descending on this laden coffin. And if I am lucky a bouquet of tropical flowers might just arrive in time, from a former African Head of State.
A son of the manse, missionary, educational social worker, Regional Reporter to the Children’s Hearings, sportsman, musician, ventriloquist, author, poet, film script writer and writer in residence in Dumfries Prison, International Research Panellist, and Camp Manger in Pakistan. Above all else, father to Fiona and Laura and husband of Jocelyn.
Chaucer told the original Miller’s Tale, a bawdy tale if ever there was. Could my tale mirror his? I write it for the next generation to understand the massive changes which have taken place in my lifetime; mostly for the better. But life is more than a collection of facts.
It’s the humour and confusion, the doubts and the convictions which lead us to explore our circumstances. We have a freedom to explore, to assess possibilities and to respond appropriately. Sometimes when acting spontaneously, I find my laces become untied. The consequences become unpredictable.
The story begins.
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After reading the brief blurb, I began to realize the source of all your "eclectic" writing. Like my life, you have actually lived in several venues, giving you perspective on life and our world far different from the average person, and, even a good writer of an ordinary, if book reading, life.
Like you, I wrote my autobiography to reveal things about my life to others, even my family members, of things that I've done, seen and experienced that they know nothing about and only perceive me from the narrow perspective of the brief time they knew or saw me. Nobody would be able to write me better than me, nor you better than you. Why wait?
I, too, have been fortunate to have brief encounters with people of note in the last century. I'm especially intrigued by your encounter with Osama bin Laden. That alone is stuff of a movie. I recently received an email reconnecting me to a Ghanaian genius who was one of my brightest MBA students at Atlanta University and raised a student petition on my behalf when I was fired for my heresy filled teaching at the religious-based institution. Like you, I have befriended several Africans and Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Middle Eastern countries.
I only wish you had given us more of an excerpt. I am unable to read much right now because I'm writing so feverishly and will have to admit that I am following too many TV dramas after the fact "on-demand" from my cable provider. But it is helping me with my poor character development and action writing. Those shows have way too much action (unnecessary violence) for me. ;-)
So you have a piqued my interest in your life with these brief references. As soon as I am able, I certainly will read your autobiography and give you a review where it is sold. I have promised the same to some others, so I have a big obligation to fill before leaving this website forever.
Ron